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Gear Review: ZAGGmate iPad Case and Keyboard
Accessory-maker ZAGG recently introduced its ZAGGmate iPad case, which comes in two flavors: with and without integrated Bluetooth keyboard. I had a chance to test out the keyboard variety. Read on to find out how it stacks up against the Kensington KeyFolio and other similar offerings.

Build and Design

The ZAGGmate is different from the recent crop of keyboard cases for iPad. It isn’t a leather or fake-leather folio, like most of the offerings you’ll find. Instead, it’s a hardshell made of aircraft-grade aluminum that matches the finish of your iPad itself. When operating as a case, it doesn’t actually protect that finish, leaving the back of your iPad exposed to the elements (unless you have some kind of stick-on film shield already in use).

In case-mode, you place your iPad face-down against the keyboard, and the ZAGGmate’s foam inner lining hugs the Apple tablet to prevent it from coming lose. If you throw it into a bag without any additional protection, your screen won’t be damaged, but you can expect to scratch and scuff the aluminum backing on your iPad. Combined with a sleeve (most of which will fit with the ZAGGmate on), though, you’ll have nothing to worry about. Of course, that means purchasing another protective device in addition to the $99 you’re spending on the ZAGGmate.

But the case is only half the story. Lining the inside of the ZAGGmate is a Bluetooth keyboard. There’s a fold-out tab that props up your iPad in either landscape or portrait mode while you’re using the keyboard. The keyboard itself is about 90 percent the size of a full one, and makes maximum use of the space available. Unlike the keyboard on the Kensington KeyFolio, it has both Shift keys. The texture of the keys also isn’t rubberized, as it is with many of the folio-type cases, making this keyboard much more pleasant to type on.

Features and Function

The keyboard is actually a pleasure to use. As mentioned, it doesn’t sacrifice any keys to fit into the space provided, and it feels very similar in use to Apple’s own wireless keyboard in terms of noise and the depth of individual key presses. Keys are closer together, but adjusting to this difference is much easier than it is to the keyboard in Kensington’s case.

Also, I mentioned that I experienced rare connectivity issues with the Kensington case. Not so with the ZAGGmate. It seems to have struck just the right balance in terms of knowing how long to wait after the last keystroke before going to sleep, and the connection is solid when it’s awake.

The keyboard also includes many special function keys, including some that aren’t found on the KeyFolio. Spotlight search, iPod and volume controls, home, picture frame and darken screen buttons are all including on the function key row. The Spotlight key is especially handy, since it can act as a launcher, but I wish Apple would let you scroll through the results with the arrow keys so you wouldn’t have to touch the screen at all.

ZAGGmate also got things right with the battery. According to the company’s claims, the battery (charged via included MicroUSB cable) can last a couple of months in standby. It hasn’t run out on me yet, and I haven’t plugged it in since I received it a week ago.

Verdict

In terms of the keyboard/case spectrum, the ZAGGmate with keyboard leans heavily towards the keyboard side of things. In fact, it’s almost more of a competitor for Apple’s keyboard dock than for other keyboard cases (and a very strong one at that). Using the ZAGGmate without a sleeve or built-in laptop compartment is something I’d probably never do. At the same time, my gear bags almost always have either one of those available. Plus the ZAGGmate takes up way less room than the KeyFolio or other cases of similar design, and weighs less, too.
- Highs: Great keyboard and battery, good looks, lightweight and low-profile.
- Lows: Doesn’t protect the back of the iPad.
If you’re serious about using the iPad as a mobile device, this is the best option out there right now. The price may seem a little steep when you factor in additional protection for the back of your device, but if you’ve already been an iPad owner for a while, you probably already have something that can serve in that capacity anyway. And of course, the ZAGGmate still protects the screen, which is more important anyway, depending on how much stock you put in looks.

Disclosure: The ZAGGmate tested was provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

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Apple's Greatest Advantage: The Apple Ecosystem
Google’s power in the mobile computing world seems to grow with every new product announcement and Android device that comes to market. But for all its reach, the search giant is missing one piece of the puzzle that Apple does better than anyone else: product integration.

It starts with one device. Maybe it's an iPod; maybe it's a first Mac; but from that first product, you discover Apple’s unique take on technology. Apple treats each device it manufactures with care, sweating the little details like font choices and icon design, and thinking about how it all fits together. Each device Apple creates plays a part in the overall ecosystem, and the links between them are clear.

I recently stepped outside the cozy Apple ecosystem and purchased an Android phone, the HTC Desire. It was on sale at a steep discount, and I thought I would be able to integrate it into my work/life flow. I was wrong, and the phone is being returned.

The phone was powerful, and had some very interesting features, but it was so entirely different from the rest of my Mac setup that nothing felt right. I could go into detail about application crashes, frustrating hardware, the sordid Android Market (I wouldn't let my kids browse through it), and other annoyances, but suffice to say that it simply didn’t measure up to the expectations I’ve developed from using Apple devices.

Apple is the only computer company that creates all of its own hardware and software; they control the entire package. Personal computers are a mishmash of parts and pieces from different sources. Hardware from one company, software from another. By contrast, many modern smartphone and computer makers get hardware from one place, and an operating system from another. BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion is a notable exception to this rule, but a recent interview with their co-CEO Mike Lazaridis seems to suggest the company’s leadership at least has little sense of what smartphone consumers really want.

HP, which recently purchased Palm, is another exception to the rule. The stage is set for the computing giant to build its own tightly integrated smartphone environment, if they have any interest in doing so. HP now sells the Palm Pre, but unfortunately, the Pre, once seen to be a strong iPhone competitor, seems to be lagging behind. Not a single one of these companies can design and test integration between phones, tablets, computers, and online services as well as Apple can, because none controls each of these aspects the way Apple does.

Does Apple’s degree of control occasionally border on the excessive? Yes. But consumers end up benefitting from that control more often than they are harmed. It’s only because Apple controls the entire product line that you can rent Inception in iTunes on your Mac, and know that it will play on your iPad, your iPhone, and your Apple TV. It works reliably, consistently and predictably.

When you live in the Apple ecosystem, you make a deal with Apple: I'll pay you, and in exchange, you make sure everything plays nicely together. Google doesn’t seem to be interested in providing that kind of tightly integrated experience, at least not yet. What Apple does best is remember that technology only exists to serve its users, and goes far beyond a list of features and hardware specs. And that’s why Apple will continue to drive the future of computing, regardless of whether Google and others end up winning the numbers game.

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Wi-Fi iPad with Verizon Mifi vs. iPad 3G on AT&T
With Wi-Fi iPads now available directly from Verizon bundled with a MiFi wireless hot spot, you’re no longer limited to AT&T for on-the-go iPad connectivity. So which is better, Verizon or AT&T? Let’s look at three key determining factors to help decide the answer.

Financial

For new owners, iPad Wi-Fi + 3G pricing is fairly easy to figure out. The 3G option is $130 more than the WiFi-only iPad with the same amount of storage, and starts at $629. A data plan is $14.99 per month for 250 MB, or 2 GB for $25. On AT&T’s iPad plan, after you go over the 2 GB, you have to re-up for another 2 GB at $25.00. You can go month-to-month with AT&T, meaning there’s no contract to sign. You’ll pay for 30 days of service, but you can put the service on hiatus and pay for another 30 days whenever you happen to need it.

When you purchase a Wi-Fi iPad from Verizon bundled with a MiFi, you’ll pay the same as you would for an iPad Wi-Fi + 3G. Data plans are slightly different from Verizon, too. The minimum plan is $20 for 1 GB, but you can also get 3 GB for $35 or 5 GB for $50. Power users can pay $80 and get 10 GB. Verizon also offers a month-to-month plan for the MiFi, but only when bundled with the iPad. If you buy an iPad from somewhere else and then buy a MiFi, you’ll have to sign a contract, and the 1 GB plan isn’t available. You’ll be required to pay a minimum of $35 for the 3 GB plan (and $269.99 for the MiFi if bought outright — but it’s available for $49 with a two-year contract).

Doing the math (made more difficult since the iPad doesn’t ship with a native calculator app), Verizon’s option has the same initial hardware cost as AT&T’s, though the Wi-Fi only iPad it comes with won’t be as easy to use with other 3G networks abroad if you like to travel, and light internet users won’t have a 250 MB data option. Heavy duty users will really benefit from Verizon’s data plans. And of course, the MiFi’s internet connection can be shared, while the standard iPad 3G is an island unto itself. With more data flexibility and connection sharing options, Verizon’s option is a compelling value. For those owners who want to stream lots of multimedia content, Verizon’s is the better alternative. For very light users who only need one connected mobile device, AT&T is probably a better value.

Ergonomic

The iPad 3G’s all-in-one design is both a feature and a liability. Not having to carry around or charge two different devices is great. Moreover, the MiFi has a battery life of three to four hours compared with the Wi-Fi iPad’s 10 hours or the iPad 3G’s 9 hours. The MiFi will go into sleep mode when not in use. Because I don’t need to be physically attached to the MiFi, in real-world usage, I could always find someplace to plug it in (car charger, wall outlet, or so forth) while remaining within its Wi-Fi range. Unlike the iPad 3G, the MiFi uses fairly standard batteries that are replaceable, so you could keep a spare battery or two with you, giving you more usable 3G time than with the iPad alone.

In practical use, carrying around the MiFi and worrying about charging it wasn’t the hassle I thought it would be. Considering its diminutive size, I had no problem keeping it in my iPad case or in my pocket with my iPhone. I often wrapped my headphones around the MiFi so it served more than one purpose. Of course, because it could be used for multiple devices, I carried it around with me in my laptop bag so I could have internet anywhere. Being able to share the MiFi with two iPads made travel easier for my spouse and me. Although we have one iPad 3G and one with only Wi-Fi, we could share an internet connection and create a wireless network between our iPads — all while using the same data plan from the MiFi.

Technical

Consumer Reports rated AT&T’s network lowest and Verizon first among national carriers. In my market (Kansas City), the Verizon MiFi was able to get a more reliable signal, though the speeds were nearly identical to AT&T’s 3G. Being able to use the iPad on a network besides AT&T’s is a big advantage for Verizon’s MiFi bundle. Setup of the MiFi was extremely easy and didn’t require a computer. The network ID and default password were printed on the MiFi. I went to the MiFi’s internal website and changed the network name and password. Advanced configuration of the device allowed MAC address filtering and port mapping. Doing it all on the iPad is pretty cool, let me tell you.

Unfortunately, one major downside of the Verizon MiFi was the lack of GPS. Since I have an iPhone, this didn’t bother me too much, but location aware services were hampered on the iPad using the MiFi. Location-based social media (Gowalla, Foursquare, Yelp, and so forth) had trouble finding me ,and point-to-point map directions didn’t work very well. This is logical, since the iPad is guesstimating your location; the Wi-Fi iPad doesn’t have built-in GPS, and the mobility of the MiFi defeats Apple’s normal method of detecting location-based on Wi-Fi access points.

Conclusion

The GPS capability seems to be an important factor between the two options. If you need GPS on an iPad, then the iPad 3G is your only logical choice. If you’re a heavy data user and intend to stream multimedia, you’re much better off financially with the Verizon bundle. If you would regularly go over the 2 GB of data allotted on an AT&T plan, then Verizon’s advantage scales up dramatically depending on how far over you’d go. Comparing coverage between AT&T and Verizon, based on Consumer Reports, you’ll probably have a better experience with Verizon. Finally, if you think you’ll need 3G coverage for more than a few hours while away from a power source, the iPad 3G is “all-in-one”, but the MiFi could give you about the same duration of coverage with an extra battery.

I’m recommending the casual surfer and non-technical buyers this holiday go for the iPad 3G, but heavy data and multi-device users are probably going better served by the Verizon MiFi bundle. Which are you planning on giving or getting?

Disclosure: Verizon Wireless of Kansas and Missouri provided the MiFi for testing purposes and the item was returned at the end of the review period.

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Google Turns on Desktop Docs Editor for iPad
Google made it possible to edit and create Google Docs documents with your iPad on Nov. 17, but the editor it introduced was optimized for mobile and lacked many features of the desktop version. Late Dec. 9, the company introduced a link that lets you switch to the full version of the editor to access those features.

I readily admit that I haven’t put in much time with Google’s web-based iPad Docs editor, but part of the reason for that was that I just couldn’t do many of the things that I do using Google Docs-linked iPad text editing apps like PlainText and Writer. An all-Google solution is appealing in that I don’t have to update my documents after the fact if I want the most current version to be available from wherever I happen to be, but even with a more robust feature set, can Google Docs on the web work as your only iPad document-editing solution?

The desktop version brings font and alignment changing, bulleted and numbered lists and adding links, among other things. If you’ve ever used Google Docs on a computer, you’ll be familiar with everything, as it’s the exact same web app. The full Google spreadsheet editor is also now available in addition to the mobile client, which allows you to insert formulas from the formula bar.

Whereas Google’s mobile Docs editors are little more than glorified note-takers, the desktop editor at least offers you useful tools that go beyond simple data entry. But it does so in a layout that isn’t optimized for the iPad in the way that native apps or even iPad-specific web apps are. In portrait mode, things look too small to be very usable, and every time I actually start editing, the first line of my document gets pushed up under the margin ruler at the top of the input field. Arrow keys on the Bluetooth keyboard (something I think is a must for knocking out any serious writing on the iPad) don’t work for navigating within the document, either.

I’m glad Google’s turned on editing for Docs on the iPad, because I wanted it desperately when I first got the Apple tablet. But native apps have come out that allow me to interact with my Google Docs, and I haven’t looked back. Now I can make small changes right in Docs itself, but ultimately, this is yet another release from Google that I can live quite comfortably without.

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